Cell Tower Vote On July 31 Ballot

Residents will be able to vote this month whether they like the DeKalb County School System placing cell phone towers on school properties.

This is a non-binding referendum, so the vote won't affect the school system's policies, but it could give school board members an idea of voter sentiment, according to CrossRoadsNews, in a story published three days ago.

Plans are already in place to put cell towers on nine campuses, said schools spokesman Walter Woods.

From the story:

The referendum was created by House Bill 1299, sponsored by state Reps. Karla Drenner (D-Avondale Estates), Michele Henson (D-Stone Mountain), Rahn Mayo (D-Decatur) and other DeKalb legislators.

Drenner, a six-term representative and a radiation physicist, embraced the referendum after House Bill 1197 which she sponsored to ban towers from other school grounds failed.

State legislators have been seeking ways to prevent the location of more cell towers on DeKalb Schools property after a July 12, 2011, vote by the DeKalb School Board to allow T-Mobile to locate 150-foot high towers on nine school properties for up to 30 years. Most of those schools are in south DeKalb County.

Obviously, locally, , and Margaret Harris Comprehensive schools are included in those. Woods told the newspaper construction on the first tower is expected to begin next month.

The ballot question asks: "Should the local or independent school system of DeKalb County place or operate a telecommunications tower on any elementary, middle or high school property?"

How will you vote in the cell phone tower referendum? Does it matter? Tell us in the comments section below.